Japan Pokémon TCG Judge Exam Switches from First-Come Basis to Selection System; Applications Close Nov. 13 at 2 PM
My Number Card authentication and Japan residency required; Judge and Event Organizer exams separated
The official Japanese Pokémon Card Game website announced the "2026 Pokémon Card Game Qualification Exam" on Nov. 6 and began accepting exam applications. Applications close on Nov. 13 at 2:00 PM (Japan Standard Time). This year, instead of the previous first-come, first-served sales method, only individuals who complete advance applications on the Players Club and pass a screening will be allowed to purchase eligibility to take the exam. The official announcement noted that not all applicants may receive an invitation to purchase, and inquiries regarding selection criteria and individual results will not be answered.
The exam is split into two tracks: the Judge Exam and the Event Organizer Exam. Applicants may apply for only one of the two; submitting applications for both will invalidate both submissions. Passing the Judge Exam grants both Judge and Event Organizer qualifications, while passing the Event Organizer Exam grants only the Event Organizer qualification. A Judge is certified to serve as a tournament judge, whereas an Event Organizer is certified to host Organizer Events supported by The Pokémon Company.
From Application to Qualification
| Step | Schedule | Details | |---|---|---| | Application | Nov. 6, 14:00 – Nov. 13, 14:00 | Use the 'Lottery Event Application' feature on Players Club | | Selection Results Announcement | Scheduled for Nov. 27 | Dedicated purchase page provided to successful candidates | | Purchase of Exam Eligibility | Dec. 3, 12:00 – Dec. 7, 12:00 | Pokémon Center Online. Judge: 1,650 yen, Organizer: 1,100 yen (tax included) | | 1st Round: Online Exam | Dec. 11, 0:00 – Dec. 18, 17:00 | Once during the period, 60 minutes, multiple choice, PC only | | 2nd Round: Online Interview | Scheduled for Jan. 16, 2027 | Zoom, approximately 15 minutes, free | | Online Training | Organizer: Feb. 27 or Mar. 3; Judge: Mar. 6 or Mar. 10 | 19:00–20:00 each, free |
Attending the training sessions is a mandatory condition for certification. Judge exam candidates must attend both the Organizer training and the Judge training, and those who fail to attend on their designated date will be disqualified.
Application requirements include: ▲ a Players Club account with completed identity verification via My Number Card, ▲ at least 20 years of age (born on or before Dec. 18, 2006), ▲ residency in Japan, and ▲ motivation to promote the appeal of the Pokémon Card Game along with mastery of basic gameplay rules. Email addresses registered with the Players Club and the Pokémon Center Online must match exactly, including letter case. If they do not match, purchasing the eligibility will not be possible even after passing the screening. Failure to complete the purchase by noon on Dec. 7 or cancellation after purchase will be treated as an exam forfeiture, and repurchases are not permitted.
Changes from Last Year's Announcement
| Category | 2025 | 2026 | |---|---|---| | Registration | First-come, first-served on Pokémon Center Online | Advance application followed by selection | | Identity Verification | Phone number verification | Identity verification via My Number Card | | Exam Structure | Single unified exam, qualifications assigned by score | Split into Judge and Organizer exams | | Exam Fee | 1,650 yen | Judge: 1,650 yen; Organizer: 1,100 yen | | 2nd Round Cutoff | Top 500 with 80+ points: Judge/Organizer; 60–79 points: Organizer | Judge: Top 200; Organizer: Top 300; both require 80+ points |
The cutoff score for the Event Organizer exam to advance to the second round rose from 60 points last year to 80 points this year. The requirement to satisfy both the ranking threshold and the score threshold remains unchanged.
The scope of the test questions has also been divided by exam type. The Judge exam covers the "Pokémon Card Game How to Play" rules, the Advanced Rulebook, competitive floor rules, penalty guidelines, ruling case studies, and card-by-card Q&As and regulation documents on the Trainers Website. The Organizer exam covers basic gameplay rules, the Advanced Rulebook, floor rules, and related website documentation. The "Basic Handling as an Event Host" topic included in both exams is a newly added subject not featured last year, testing candidates' judgment across tournament preparation and day-of-event operations.
Key Takeaways for Korean Readers
This exam is restricted strictly to residents of Japan, and Japanese My Number Card authentication is a prerequisite for application. The official announcement does not include information regarding testing in regions outside Japan, including Korea. A search across Korean official domain channels yielded no recruitment announcements for a domestic judge exam corresponding to this program. However, the absence of search results does not necessarily confirm the presence or absence of a domestic system.
Sources
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This article was machine-translated from Korean with AI. Original →